The Poster in Europe / Europe in Posters)
The majority of posters date from the turn of the 20th century, when the decorative style known as Sezession in Vienna, Art Nouveau in Paris and Western Europe, and Jugendstil in Germany was at the height of popularity. The works reproduced were created not only in such cultural centres as Paris and Vienna, but also in various cities throughout Belgium, Germany and Italy. The second part is devoted to modernist art produced in the 1920s and early 1930s in France, Holland, Germany and Hungary. Thematically, the publication includes exhibition announcements, entertainment advertisements, tourist flyers and ads for newly emerging products of “mass consumption“, as well as for somewhat curious objects.Glass Link Stockholm – Praha)
The publication is featuring the most remarkable works of Swedish art glass of the 20th century from such renowned glassoworks as Orrefors and Kosta, as well as unique art glass objects created in the studios of noted Swedish glass artists. Sweden and the Czech lands have been linked through a long-lasting tradition of collaboration and mutual inspiration in the fields of applied and studio art glass. The book also centres on documenting various joint trends in the manufacture of glass during the 20th century.Jindřich Štyrský. On the Needles of These Days. Fotografie 1934–1935)
In the 1920s, Jindřich Štyrský (1899–1942) was one of the foremost members of the avant-garde art union Devětsil. For several years, he lived in Paris with the artist Toyen. After returning to Prague, he worked for the Liberated Theatre and published the Erotic Revue and Edition 69. In 1934, together with a number of his friends, he co-founded the Surrealist Group of Czechoslovakia. His photographic series A Man with Blinkers, Frog Man (both 1934) and A Paris Afternoon (1935) capture what are seemingly banal themes from everyday life. Many of the pictures show old, damaged, decaying items. “For him... reality becomes a tormenting and cruel phantom...” (Karel Teige).Artěl 1908–1935)
Tsjechisch kubisme in het dagelijks leven / Czech Cubism in Daily Life
The booklet was published by Design museum Gent in collaboration with the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, to accompany the exhibition of the same name, held in Gent from October 28, 2009 through February 7, 2010.Tschechische Fotografie des 20. Jahrhunderts)
The German language book of Vladimír Birgus and Jan Mlčoch examines the individual movements and tendencies in photography throughout the 20th century. These include early-century styles (Pictorialism, documentary and reportage photography), modern photographic trends of the twenties, Surrealist experimentation and Poetism, postwar reportage and documentary photography, art photography and its various offshoots (The Happening, Land Art, Conceptual Art and Body Art), to staged and portrait photography of the late 20th century. Almost two hundred photographers have been selected, among them Josef Sudek, František Drtikol, Jaromír Funke, Jaroslav Rössler, Karel Hájek, Václav Jírů, Vilém Reichmann, Jan Reich, Jan Saudek, Josef Koudelka, and others. The reproductions of images lent from Czech and foreign collections offer a complex overview of 20th-century photography in the Bohemian lands.Artěl. Umění pro všední den 1908–1935 (Artěl. Art for Everyday Use 1908–1935))
The Czech language publication explores one of the most outstanding institutions specializing in Czech applied arts and design during the first half of the 20th century. A variety of wares and designs bearing the prestigious Artěl trademark (ranging in style from late Art Nouveau, through Cubism, to Art Deco) is presented in several sections. Founded in Prague in 1908, Artěl associated prominent figures of the Czech art scene. Initially, the association focused on designing and manufacturing "minor art for everyday use" — small functional and decorative items made of wood, ceramic, metal and other materials. Over the years, it extended its activities to include comprehensive designs of interior spaces, both private homes and commercial interiors. An array of diverse views and trends emerged throughout Artěl’s existence, yet all invariably pursued a common goal: to introduce a modern aesthetic outlook into the field of applied arts and to help cultivate household design and the lifestyles of the residents. True in the past and today, Artěl takes its rightful place in Europe’s modern art and design movement, alongside the artistically-inspiring Wiener Werkstätte in Austria and the Bauhaus in Germany.CubiCZmus! Die Dekonstruktion der Moderne in Prag)
The English-German catalogue published to accompany the exhibition at the Postsparkasse in Vienna explores the period between 1910 and 1920 - an era of early and mature stages of Czech Cubism represented by the most noted proponents of this style, architects and artists P. Janák, J. Gočár, V. Hofman, J. Chochol, O. Novotný, A. Procházka, J. V. Kroha, and others. The publication traces the roots of Cubism after 1900 in connection with Vienna Modernism (Geometric Secession) and discusses the collaboration of architects with Czech artists associated in the Group of Fine Artists, and their involvement in the activities carried out by the Artěl Cooperative, the Prague Art Workshops and the Union of Czech Artwork. It analyzes the art movement’s theoretical considerations and their practical application in various fields of creativity, including furniture-making, interior decoration, ceramics, glass, metalwork and graphic art.Una ventana en Praga. Josef Sudek. Fotografías de los aňos cincuenta (A Window in Prague. Josef Sude)
The Spanish-language exhibition catalogue features photographs of Prague created by Josef Sudek in the 1950s, particularly his "Night" images. The nightscapes are accompanied by panoramas of the historical centre, glimpses of the city’s everyday life, shots taken from the artist’s studio, and still-life photographs. A folding leaflet with a foreword to the exhibition and a list of exhibits is appended to the catalogue.Daniel a Ignác Preisslerové – barokní malíři skla a porcelánu)
The Czech language book with English a German summaries presents an exceptional body of works decorated with a specific type of painting on glass and porcelain. Usually, these works have mainly been attributed to Ignaz Preissler (1676–1741), but most recently his father Daniel (1636–1733) has also been recognized. Both artists were active in the town of Kunštát (Kronstadt) in eastern Bohemia. The publication includes a catalogue of the objects housed in museums and private collections in the Czech Republic, together with reproductions of outstanding pieces kept in foreign collections. This is the first book to offer a comprehensive look at the noteworthy (and at times controversially interpreted) collection.